A Coffee Shop in London
by AGirlWithTheBrokenSmile
Summary: In which Teddy Lupin and Dominique Weasley meet up in the most unlikely place, where the most unlikely events happen.


He's not quite sure how he ended up there. Maybe it was from an emotional overload. Maybe he just wanted coffee. Whatever the reason, Teddy Lupin somehow found himself in a muggle coffee shop in London.

She knows exactly how she ended up there. She was tired. Tired of her life, tired of her school, even tired of her family. She was tired, so she decided to escape to the muggle world, because the muggle world is a lot less confusing than _her _world. She used a school fireplace to get to her house, and apparated to a random street in London, where the shop stood right in front of her. Without a single thought of hesitation, she pulled her coat tightly around her and went inside. That was the day Dominique Weasley found herself in a muggle coffee shop in London.

Maybe it was a coincidence that they were both there on the same day. Maybe it wasn't. Either way, it happened. They're not quite sure way, but it did.

When she came in, her auburn curls slightly dampened from the drizzling outside, he was surprised. After all, it was November, nearing the middle of her seventh year of school. She didn't seem nervous about ditching, though. A nonchalant expression clouded her face as she walked up to the counter. She smiled politely, using her charm absentmindedly, no doubt. The cashier, a boy around fifteen or so, stuttered incoherently and shoved a coffee into her hand. Unsurprised, she smiled once more, muttered a "thank you" and began to walk towards a table.

She stopped, however, when she saw him sitting there. A flash of surprise floated on her face before it dashed away, and was replaced by the expression that she wore before. Ever so slowly, she walked towards the two-person table that he sat at, and sat down. "Teddy," she said simply, as a way of greeting.

He nodded. "Dominique." After a moment of silence, he added, "What are you doing out of school?"

She shrugged, and sipped her coffee, her pale hands turning a light color of red from the heat the radiated from the cup. She didn't seem to notice. "What are you doing away from Vic's?"

He didn't have an answer.

...

The next time he entered that shop, it was a few weeks later. He's more sure how he ended up there _that _time than he was before. He and Vic had another fight, resulting in her throwing a vase at his head and storming out of the house. Following the fight, he'd decided that he needed some time to cool down. So, he apparated to the same coffee shop. He was about to sit down at the same table, but found that it was already occupied.

There, Dominique Weasley sat, those same auburn curls wet in the same way as before, from the same drizzling. This time, she had a book in her hands. He was a bit surprised, because he'd never seen her read before. He never even considered that she might like to read. Maybe it was because Vic hated reading. Maybe it was because he'd never gotten to know Dominique. Either way, it surprised him.

She didn't look up when he entered the shop. Not bothering to order a coffee, he quickly made his way over to the table. He tripped over a chair in the process, and the noise made her head snap up. She quirked an eyebrow in amusement, apparently unsurprised to seem him there.

His face going red from embarrassment, he walked over to the table much more slowly. He gingerly sat down in the chair opposite her. She didn't look up, but she did say, "Fights with Vic never turn out good, do they?"

He never seemed to have answers for her questions. He wondered if he ever would.

…

He didn't go to that coffee shop for a long time. In fact, the next time he did, it was summer. It was the result from another fight – except this time, he had the feeling that he wouldn't be going back home.

He'll never admit it to anyone, but he was disappointed when she wasn't there. Even though he'd only encountered her a few times, he'd somehow grown used to her red, shoulder-length curls, and her sharp grey eyes that belonged to her grandmother. He'd grown used to her short, clipped answers and her snarky, sarcastic remarks.

Sometimes he wondered how she and Vic could be sisters.

…

The next time, she was there. She was sitting at that same exact table. But her expression was different. She looked almost angry as she stared out the window, her arms crossed. Those dark red curls that he'd never admit that he loved were pulled back into a single braid down her back, bringing out the angry glint in her eyes. She didn't look at him when he sat down, just as before. But, like before, she spoke. "Vic's gone." Her voice was cold as ice, her words as hard as stone. "She took off a few days ago," she continued. However, when she spoke, her words weren't as steady. Her voice almost seemed to shake as she said, "We haven't heard from her since. Mum's distraught. Dad hardly talks. Louis just stays shut up in his room, all day."

When she looked over at him, her mouth was set in a firm line, but her eyes gave away everything. They were no longer sharp and cold, with a gleam of wit. They were cloudy and confused and sad and angry. "Is it bad that I'm the only one who's acting normal?"

Unlike before, he did have an answer. "Yeah. It is bad."

She didn't look surprised. She just nodded stiffly and looked back to the window. Then, he added, "I guess we're both bad people, then."

Her head snapped over to him, and that same expression of surprise that he saw on the first day zapped across her face, quick as lightning. It was gone before he could even blink.

"Yeah. I guess we are."

…

It was five years later when they went to that shop again. This time, however, they were happier. She was smiling, and he was smiling, and they held hands under the table near the window, where they sat years before.

Lots of things had happened in that five year span. Teddy and Dominique had become acquaintances. Then they had become friends. Then they became a little bit more than friends.

It went on from there.

Their ending wasn't entirely happy, though.

Vic never came back. The day that she took off was the last day they saw her. The family was never quite the same. Dominique was never quite the same. Teddy was never quite the same.

There were holes in the hearts of both of them. Maybe time would fill them. Maybe it wouldn't.

Either way, they went on with life. And even if time didn't fill those holes, they could fill them their selves.


End file.
